Abstract
This chapter discusses two short articles that Geras wrote about Althusser. Geras had already established that Marx had a theory of human nature, which was held continuously from 1844 onwards, and therefore has a good basis for disputing Althusser’s claim that in the older Marx there is no theory of human nature. Geras reviewed the main Althusserian theories, pointing out that he was forced to change them considerably under pressure of criticism. He argues that Althusser’s theories are basically useless. He plainly admires Althusser for questioning the continuance of the theory of alienation in the older Marx, and also for arguing that the older Marx is not a Hegelian. He also approves of the idea that the social totality is more complex than the Hegelian version of it. However, he criticizes Althusser’s conception of science as idealist, and his failure to recognize that Marxist theorists learn from the working class. Cowling points out that Marxist theorists do not learn the theories of political economy and its critique from the working class.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Althusser, L. (2001). Lenin and Philosophy. New York: Monthly Review Press.
Althusser, L. (2005). For Marx. London: Verso.
Althusser, L., & Balibar, E. (2007). Reading Capital. London: Verso.
Cowling, M. (1980). Resolving the Contradictions of Althusser’s Philosophy: Popperian Falsificationism as an Alternative to Hindess and Hirst’s Anti-Philosophy. Scottish Journal of Sociology, 4(2), 169–192.
Cutler, T., Hindess, B., Hirst, P. Q., & Hussein, A. (1977 and 1978 respectively). Marx’s Capital and Capitalism Today (Vol. 1 and 2). London: Routledge.
Geras, N. (1986). Literature of Revolution: Essays on Marxism. London: Verso.
Hindess, B., & Hirst, P. Q. (1975). Pre-Capitalist Modes of Production. London: Routledge.
Hindess, B., & Hirst, P. Q. (1977). Mode of Production and Social Formation: An Auto-Critique of Pre-Capitalist Modes of Production. London: Routledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cowling, M. (2018). Geras and Althusser. In: Norman Geras’s Political Thought from Marxism to Human Rights. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74048-5_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74048-5_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74047-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74048-5
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)